Wildcat pass required for hikers?

[Ed'n Lauky]

I just received the following followup E-mail from John:


Hi Ed:

I spoke with Susan today. She said the ski operators did send over a
policy change in which they would charge all users, hikers, tram
users, etc. a ski pass. She said this had not yet been reviewed by
the USFS, but it was on her desk for discussion with others in her
office after the holidays. It was now moved up for USFS review to
early next week.

The general notion is that the lease is non exclusive, and hence as
usual USFS lands are open to the public. But if there are safety
issues these also need to be addressed. One possible solution is to
designate one trail for hiker use.

That is what I know for now. We should know more next week.

John

Let me (Ed'n Lauky) add this PS. As I was planning on heading out to get Wildcat today I decided to go up the back way today and bag Wildcat A, we really didn't need D anyway as we've been up there numerous times.

The conditions up 19 Mile and Wildcat ridge were ideal. Almost no snow but lots of ice on 19 mile. It's ideal microspike territory. Wildcat Ridge had at least 6" of packed snow and the traction was excellent. It made for a very easy and enjoyable hike today.

 

[forestgnome]

The following is offered in good faith by a fellow hiker, and definately not as a representative of any company ( I hate what lawyers have done to us ).

When the ski area is closed, skiing, skinning, snowshoeing or walking on the ski trails is prohibited.

When the ski area is open, a pass is required to be on the trails
-a regular lift pass is fine, or an "Uphill Access" ticket cost $10
-Polecat is the only trail for uphill traffic

Dawgies aren't allowed on the slopes (rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr)


Please be gracious to ski patrol and instructors whose job it is to inform the public of rules which they do not create, rules required by insurance companies who get sued by greedy lawyers every chance they get.

These rules are also dictated to some extent by USFS. I don't know the extent.

 

[MichaelJ]

So it sounds to me like the ski area wants new restrictions, however they have not been approved yet, and it's still up to the USFS to have the final say.

Personally, I am opposed to charging hikers on foot but am okay with a small charge for hikers carrying sleds/skis/snowboards.

I am not opposed to forbidding dogs when the ski area is open, but would prefer to require them on a short leash. It's incredibly dangerous for a dog to be out loose in a ski area and as a skier I would have a big problem with it, especially if there was an accident.

I am not opposed to dedicating a route for hikers, pretty much everyone only takes Polecat anyway. I'm not opposed to closing that route temporarily when snowmaking is in full force in the fall.

When the ski area is closed for the season there should be minimal restrictions, just keeping the zip line and gondola areas clear, that sort of thing. When the ski area is just closed in season due to high winds, there should be access to the hiking route.

Those are my personal thoughts and opinions. I do blame the lawyers and our society's inability to take responsibility for its own actions, instead suing everyone around us.

If Wildcat D wasn't a 4000-footer, would anyone care? Nobody ever talks about hiking Bretton Woods, Attitash, or Cranmore…

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

The following is offered in good faith by a fellow hiker, and definately not as a representative of any company ( I hate what lawyers have done to us ).

When the ski area is closed, skiing, skinning, snowshoeing or walking on the ski trails is prohibited.

When the ski area is open, a pass is required to be on the trails
-a regular lift pass is fine, or an "Uphill Access" ticket cost $10
-Polecat is the only trail for uphill traffic

Dawgies aren't allowed on the slopes (rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr)


Please be gracious to ski patrol and instructors whose job it is to inform the public of rules which they do not create, rules required by insurance companies who get sued by greedy lawyers every chance they get.

These rules are also dictated to some extent by USFS. I don't know the extent.

Can we assume that these new regulations, if approved by the FS, will be applicable only during the ski season? I'm thinking particularly, of course--(surprise) of the restrictions on dogs.

 

[Becca M]

The following is offered in good faith by a fellow hiker, and definately not as a representative of any company ( I hate what lawyers have done to us ).

When the ski area is closed, skiing, skinning, snowshoeing or walking on the ski trails is prohibited.

When the ski area is open, a pass is required to be on the trails
-a regular lift pass is fine, or an "Uphill Access" ticket cost $10
-Polecat is the only trail for uphill traffic

Dawgies aren't allowed on the slopes (rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr)


Please be gracious to ski patrol and instructors whose job it is to inform the public of rules which they do not create, rules required by insurance companies who get sued by greedy lawyers every chance they get.

These rules are also dictated to some extent by USFS. I don't know the extent.

Another option is bushwhacking down (it's too steep for me to bushwhack up) just north of the Polecat - woods are somewhat open. Unfortunately, there are a LOT of beer cans/junk goggles/ski passes/garbage/bootleg glade trails to bypass... 'jus sayin.....

 

[bobandgeri]

How are they handling hikers that are only hiking down the polecat trail? Will that have somebody selling tickets at the top? If you are half way down and hiking with a dog????

 

[MichaelJ]

If you are half way down and hiking with a dog????

Patrol will force you to ride down with them on a snow-cat or snowmobile, thus making the peak not count.

 

[una_dogger]

How are they handling hikers that are only hiking down the polecat trail? Will that have somebody selling tickets at the top? If you are half way down and hiking with a dog????

Yours looks like he could fit nicely in your pack.

On the way down, my response would go something like, "Gee I'm sorry, I'll leave now"

 

[Stash]

Patrol will force you to ride down with them on a snow-cat or snowmobile, thus making the peak not count.

...and if you don't care about "count"?

 

[Red Oak]

Red Oak, is asking which peak is D like asking for directions????? Isn't that the next installment of the Miller Lite Commercials?

I guess he was not really annoyed till I asked which little hump was D.:"it's right there!",he snapped.He most likely was done listening to hikers for the season .He should have gone back down with me to the C lot were people were grilling and chilling.I do take responsibility for not getting my little humps down but have drank only one miller lite[nasty beer] in 15 years cause I ran out of water.I hope all ski patrol peeps have a totally cool winter and for everyone else.HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[freighttrain48]

Another option is bushwhacking down (it's too steep for me to bushwhack up) just north of the Polecat - woods are somewhat open. Unfortunately, there are a LOT of beer cans/junk goggles/ski passes/garbage/bootleg glade trails to bypass... 'jus sayin.....

If you are talking about the woods to the right of the polecat heading down I would not recomend traveling thru there when snow is present. That area is one of the best Lift acessable tree sking spots in NH It could be very dangerous for people traveling through there.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

How are they handling hikers that are only hiking down the polecat trail? Will that have somebody selling tickets at the top? If you are half way down and hiking with a dog????

The trailheads are not that far apart. If you know you are going to descend Polecat you could stop by Wildcat before hiking and pick up the pass. Doesn't help me any though as I never go without Lauky. On the other hand it's no real problem for us. D was Lauky's first 4000 footer and we've made several winter ascents. I'd have to check but he probably has his grid quota for winter already. Anyway, you can always come up Wildcat ridge from Rt. 16. I assume that even with the new regulations they will allow you to pass over the top to get to D. It is the AT trail after all.

 

[RoySwkr]

The following is offered in good faith by a fellow hiker, and definately not as a representative of any company ( I hate what lawyers have done to us ).

When the ski area is closed, skiing, skinning, snowshoeing or walking on the ski trails is prohibited.

When the ski area is open, a pass is required to be on the trails
-a regular lift pass is fine, or an "Uphill Access" ticket cost $10
-Polecat is the only trail for uphill traffic

Dawgies aren't allowed on the slopes (rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr)

It sounds to me like these suggestions were instead written by the ski area

If the area is closed for snowmaking or grooming, then keep everybody off - but otherwise hikers, dogs, etc. should be encouraged without fee

$10 is outrageous for a hiking pass - if they were free I think the area would have no liability for hikers

Choosing "farthest left" instead of Polecat for exclusive traffic would be safer

Mark the unofficial connector to Wildcat Ridge Trail between C&D and no hikers above that on ski trails

Dogs allowed on 6' leash unless statistics show this is unsafe

Alternative is to build new hiking trail next to Polecat and close area to glade skiing, since Wildcat Ridge Trail in either direction has safety issues

 

[freighttrain48]

Alternative is to build new hiking trail next to Polecat and close area to glade skiing, since Wildcat Ridge Trail in either direction has safety issues

I think this would anger almost as many as it would help, those glades are famous and very special to those that tree ski and snowboard

 

[NewHampshire]

Anyway, you can always come up Wildcat ridge from Rt. 16. I assume that even with the new regulations they will allow you to pass over the top to get to D. It is the AT trail after all.

Why, that sounds like a wonderful idea.....but I may be biased.

Brian

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[SherpaTom]

I have plans to hike Carter Dome and sleep at the Hut and then hike Wildcat A & D and walk down the ski trail the following day. Now after reading these posts, I question whether to bag "D" and travel back by 19 mile.

Does anyone know the distance down Polecat and I apologize for asking, is polecat one of the trails?

ps, I'm hiking with a group of 7 so hopefully ski patral won't take those of us working on the Winter 4K .

 

[DougPaul]

Does anyone know the distance down Polecat and I apologize for asking, is polecat one of the trails?

Yes, Polecat is one of the ski trails. It is generally on the right edge of the ski area on the way down. Green (easier). See http://www.skiwildcat.com/1011/TrailMap-lg.jpg

Doug

 

[freighttrain48]

I have plans to hike Carter Dome and sleep at the Hut and then hike Wildcat A & D and walk down the ski trail the following day. Now after reading these posts, I question whether to bag "D" and travel back by 19 mile.

Does anyone know the distance down Polecat and I apologize for asking, is polecat one of the trails?

ps, I'm hiking with a group of 7 so hopefully ski patral won't take those of us working on the Winter 4K .

The polecat is 2.5 to 3 miles in length and If you do this soon no worries cause only the top part is open to skiers took me just under 1.5 hours to descend in the fall

 

[bikehikeskifish]

My GPS track log says 2.3 miles from the platform on D to the C lot at Wildcat. I didn't walk all the way around to the lift and back to the parking lot - when the Polecat Trail make the final left to the lift, I walked through the "woods" to the parking lot.

Tim

 

[BIGEarl]

Any update to this one? Does anybody know the current status of climbing Polecat as an alternative to hiking from PNVC?